§ 66. Mr. TREVELYANasked the Financial Secretary to the Treasury whether he is aware that it is not the practice to keep the Natural History Museum at South Kensington closed on Sundays when artificial light has to be used because of fog, but that the British Museum has been closed five times in the last six years on Sundays; and why, if the keepers can have the electric switches turned on in the Natural History Museum when necessary, they cannot do the same in the British Museum when a fog occurs?
§ Mr. McNEILLYes, Sir, I am aware of this difference of practice between the two museums. The explanation is that, whereas at the Natural History Museum electric light is available on Sundays, when necessary, from the Office of Works station at South Kensington, there is no such supply available at the British Museum; and I am not prepared, in order to meet a very rare emergency, to incur the considerable expense which would be involved by altering the present arrangements at Bloomsbury.